Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Centre, High Road, Wood Green, N22 8LE

Contact: Rob Mack, Principal Scrutiny Officer 

Media

Items
No. Item

18.

FILMING AT MEETINGS

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

 

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair referred Members present to agenda item 1 in respect of filming at this meeting and Members noted the information contained therein.

19.

Apologies for absence

Additional documents:

Minutes:

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Dixon.

20.

Items of Urgent Business

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business (late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with as noted below).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.

21.

Declarations of interest

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

 

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

 

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

 

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.

22.

Deputations/Petitions/Presentations/Questions

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 29 of the Council’s Constitution.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.

23.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 165 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting of 19 March 2019 (attached).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

AGREED:

 

That the minutes of the meeting of 19 March 2019 be approved.

24.

Terms of Reference and Memberships pdf icon PDF 478 KB

To note the terms of reference and membership for the Panel.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

AGREED:

 

That the terms of reference, protocol for Overview and Scrutiny and policy areas/remits and membership for each Scrutiny Panel for 2019/20 be noted.

 

25.

Cabinet Member Questions - Communities and Equalities

An opportunity to question the Cabinet Member for Communities and Equalities, Councillor Mark Blake, on developments within the parts of his portfolio that relate to the terms of reference of the Panel.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Mark Blake, the Cabinet Member for Communities and Equalities, reported on developments within the areas of his portfolio that fell within the Panel’s terms of reference as follows:

·         The Children at Risk strategy had now been finalised and this had established a strong framework for addressing key priorities, such as youth violence.  The challenge now was to deliver results and attract additional funding, particularly from external sources.  Detached youth workers were to be employed as part of the Haringey Community Gold initiative but there were only six of them and there were limits to the areas of the borough that they were able to cover.  They would nevertheless be able to play an important role in engaging with young people, especially those at risk, and working with Police colleagues;

·         The Community Gold projects had been established and would be a major part of the summer programme.  They would include basketball and the Exodus project to divert young people away from gangs. There was a young person’s advisory group that had been established as a requirement of the funding to provide feedback.  Progress reports would be provided to the Panel in due course;

·         Engagement had taken place with a community provider in Tottenham that worked with young women at risk of criminality or sexual exploitation in order to develop a community advocacy scheme.  Previous engagement with young people had shown a large amount of distrust and estrangement between young people and state agencies and, in particular, there had often not been good relationships with the Police.  The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) showed Haringey currently had the lowest level trust and confidence in the Police.  However, the mistrust amongst some young people was wider than this and also covered children’s services, schools and the NHS.  There was a potential role for community organisations in providing advocacy for young people and to support better engagement with a range of services; and

·         A seminar would take place during the autumn on reducing the criminalisation of children, which was an objective within the Borough Plan.  The purpose of this would be to consider with community and voluntary sector organisations and partners how this could be progressed.  There were particular concerns regarding the demographic of young people who were coming into contact with the Police and discussions were already taking place regarding this.

 

In answer to a question regarding the meeting on knife crime that had taken place in Muswell Hill, he reported that it had been organised by local parents and they had invited him to attend.   The Council would be arranging some meetings on concerns relating to violent crime and Muswell Hill would be included within these.  The Panel noted that a letter had been read out at the meeting from the Headteacher of Fortismere School.  Parents had felt that they needed to take action and it appeared that there had been a lot of under reporting of incidents.  The Headteacher of Woodside High School had held a meeting of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

26.

Youth Services pdf icon PDF 281 KB

To consider the further development of Youth Services within the borough. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Carolann James, Head of Early Years and Prevention, reported that the Youth Service had suffered from cuts in its budget of £1.6 million between 2011 and 2015.  However, funding had been increased since 2017 although by a modest amount and the service was now able to provide both universal and targeted services.  As a result of the additional Young Londoners funding that had been obtained for the Haringey Community Gold scheme, there were now detached youth workers working within the community and who were able to address areas of concern.   Funding had also been offered for a programme of activities during the school holidays.  The activities to be provided would include arts, leisure and sport.  There was also a programme of youth mentoring and targeted activity which was being funded in addition to the Community Gold programme.   A successful bid for £1.5 million had been made for Troubled Families funding and some of the youth initiatives had been funded by this.

 

Panel Members highlighted the abortive plans that had been made to develop a Youth Zone on a single site in the borough.  They asked whether the money that had been earmarked for investment in the scheme could now be used to develop provision across the borough rather than on a single site.  Schools had been provided with funding through the Networked Learning Communities initiative to develop their facilities and it was therefore felt that they should be used as venues for youth activities. 

 

In response, Ms James agreed to report back to the Panel on further plans for the development of youth provision.  She also stated that the Bruce Grove Youth Centre did not just provide a service on a single site but worked across the borough.  The Cabinet Member reported that the issue of the potential use of schools for youth activities had been raised with the Cabinet Member for Children and Families. 

 

In answer to a question on attendance levels of young people who attended Bruce Grove Youth Centre, Ms James reported that there were approximately 150 young people there on a Monday evening. She                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          agreed to provide the Panel with more comprehensive figures.  She stated that the Centre was very welcoming but acknowledged that there might be barriers, perceived or otherwise, to some young people attending it.   Peripatetic work was therefore also taking place in the community including provision of a youth bus to undertake outreach work.  It was nevertheless acknowledged that more needed to be done.  She also reported that engagement had taken place with young people regarding the venues where they would like to go to for activities, including schools and Children’s Centres.

 

Beverley Hendricks, Assistant Director for Safeguarding and Social Care, reported that the Youth Council was very active.  There was a core group within it that included the leadership team and there was also an outreach team.  The Youth Council followed the UK Youth Parliament model.  It had addressed a number of big issues for the borough including recruitment, policy issues and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

27.

Review on Restorative Justice pdf icon PDF 168 KB

To receive an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the Review on Restorative Justice that was undertaken by the Panel in 2017/18.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In answer to a question, Ms. Coyle reported that a presentation on the issue would be made to the Secondary Headteachers Forum and measures were being taken to embed the role of schools within this.   It was an issue that Headteachers were particularly interested in.  Restorative Practice had been shown to be very effective elsewhere when good relationships had been established with schools.  The Panel suggested that there was also a role for school governing bodies in developing it and Ms. Coyle agreed to give this issue further consideration when developing the action plan.  In addition, Panel Members suggested that the views of young people be sought and Ms Coyle also agreed to consider this further.

 

The Cabinet Member commented that some schools would engage on this issues whilst others might not.  The Council now had an agenda around inclusiveness but not all schools would necessarily have the same priorities. Restorative practice was a fantastic concept and some schools were already undertaking good work that was based on it.  However, schools were facing funding challenges and these could make progress more difficult.

 

In answer to a question, Ms Hendricks reported that Waltham Forest had used Restorative Practice very successfully in its work with looked after children.

 

AGREED:

 

That the Children and Young People’s Service be requested to consider engagement with school governing bodies and children and young people in developing Restorative Practice further.

 

28.

Apprenticeships pdf icon PDF 158 KB

To report on the Council’s activity to promote and provide apprenticeship opportunities to Haringey residents.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Steve Carr, Assistant Director for Economic Development and Growth, reported that the Apprenticeship Levy was a national programme that was financed by a levy on employers above a certain size.  It covered the costs of training only.  Employers could pass on the cost of up to 25% of their contribution. In Haringey, there was a borough wide target for the creation of 200 apprenticeships.  This target was shared with schools. 

 

The Haringey employment and skills team was currently based at Wood Green library and was shortly to be re-branded as Haringey Works.  The function of the team was to market opportunities.  They had recently held a successful event with Transport for London which had resulted in 19 residents taking up a range of opportunities.  Discussions were taking place with a range of other employers, such as the BBC, Open Reach and the Metropolitan Police regarding possible similar future events.  The strategy was now to try and attract employers to come into the borough rather than encouraging young people to attend careers fairs elsewhere. 

 

The other area of development was the construction programme, which involved requiring building contractors to take on apprentices.  Other contractors had taken apprenticeship pledges as part of their pitches to do business with the Council.   There were also apprenticeship requirements in planning, with all developers with Section 106 obligations required to take them on.  Benchmarking was taking place with other London boroughs.  Statistics from London Councils suggested that Haringey had a way to go to achieve the same level of success as other London boroughs, many of which had more mature apprenticeship programmes that had been running for a number of years. 

 

£700,000 per year was so far being collected.  The target for 2019/20 was for 130 apprentices to be taken on by the Council and schools.  Work was currently taking place with Human Resources to see how a better support mechanism could be developed for apprentices so that training plans can be developed and there was greater pastoral care.  Consideration was also being given to how apprenticeships could be promoted more effectively alongside other opportunities, particularly within schools.  An Apprenticeship Strategy and Programme was starting to be developed and he was happy to report further to the Panel on this once further progress had been made.

 

Panel Members noted that Islington’s Fairness Commission had led to them to require every contractor to provide apprenticeships and that their procurement function had facilitated this.  The cost of the wages of an apprentice was not high and unlikely to be a major barrier to employing them. Homes for Haringey currently employed a significant number of apprentices and it was felt that there was scope for the Council to do more and to be ambitious.

 

Mr Carr reported that the Council had learnt from Homes for Haringey and was now trying to embed apprenticeships as part of its own provision.  New procurement processes required contractors for contracts over a certain size to offer apprenticeships.  These would start to come through  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

29.

Work Programme 2018-20 pdf icon PDF 86 KB

To consider an update on the work programme for 2018-20.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Panel noted that the current workplan was for two years, including the remainder of the current year.   The review on Special Needs and Disability (SEND) was continuing and would require at least one additional evidence session.

 

The following suggestions for further issues to be added to the work plan were made:

·         Nurseries and the two and year old offer;

·         School place planning and the impact of falling school rolls on primary school finances;

·         School capital estates planning.  School governors were aware of condition surveys being undertaken of schools but were unclear of the status of this exercise;

·         Borough Plan.  There were educational aspirations within this but there was as yet no delivery plan on how they would be implemented;

·         School improvement. When exam performance had been discussed previously, the under performance of certain groups such as Turkish and African Caribbean children had been highlighted.  Haringey Education Partnership could be requested to provide clarity on what their strategy there was for addressing these; and

·         Academies and free schools.  It was suggested that the status of schools and the implications of this for the Council and its partners be looked at.

 

In view of the limited space within the workplan, it was agreed that the issues regarding the school capital estates planning and the Borough Plan be raised in Cabinet Members Questions for the Cabinet Member for Children and Families, at the next meeting of the Panel. 

 

AGREED:

 

That, subject to the above mentioned comments and additions, the work plan for the Panel be approved.